In Pieces
by KittyBarber
Summary: Carmen is in pieces...but how will Tracy and the others help her? Starts from the episode 'Esme' and goes on from there. Carmen/Johnny.
1. Chapter 1

**Another of those 'What if…' stories. Another version of the episode of the Dumping Ground 'Esme.' **

_Carmen's POV_

The minute I was out of Esme's drive, I ran as fast as I could. I knew nobody was following me, since I checked. I finally got to a block of offices. The car outside was somewhat familiar…but the woman walking out of the offices was even more familiar.

"TRACY!" I shouted.

She looked up and her eyes widened. "Carmen!" she said.

I ran across the road and when I got to the pavement I dropped my bags beside her and jumped up, hugging her.

"What are you doing out here, Carmen? With your bags?" Tracy asked as she stepped back from me. I picked up my bags.

"I…I ran away." I admitted.

"What?!" Tracy looked shocked. "Why?!"

"I…don't want to talk about it here…can we go somewhere else?" I asked.

"We'll go back to mine." Tracy said, getting in the car. I got in too, putting my bags in the back. We strapped our seatbelts in. "Would it be okay if Cam listens too?" she asked.

"Yeah…I just need to talk to someone I still trust." I said. "You and Cam included."

_Nobody's POV, at the DG._

"Guys! GUYS!" Lily ran downstairs and into the living room, holding a pink note in her hand.

"What did Carmen do this time?" Elektra asked, rolling her eyes.

"Guys she's _gone._" Lily said, and she sounded upset.

"What?!" everyone said together.

Lily began to read out the note. "Dear Lily, by the time you read this, I'll be far away. I've been thinking a lot about things lately. About you, me, and most of all, about friendship. We keep telling each other that people change…that over time, they want different things. I hope you know that I'll always be your friend. That I'll always love you and care about you. But there's only so many times I can explain who I am…and it hurts when I speak and you don't listen. Which is why it's time for me to go away…to have an adventure. To face my destiny. Tell Mike I'm sorry…that I'll miss him every day. Just like I'll miss you. With all my love…Carmen." She finished.

Mike was hovering in the doorway. "Do you have any idea where she's gone?" he asked.

But before Lily could answer he doubled over, gasping.

"Right, you, doctors, now!" Gina said. "The kids and I will talk about this Carmen thing while you're gone, alright?" Gina told him.

When he'd gone, she turned to them. "Lily, sit down." She said.

Lily sat down next to Tee.

"Well for one thing, I can't even explain how disappointed I am in you lot!" Gina said. "You were all very spiteful to either Carmen, or her friend, or both of them! It doesn't surprise me that she wanted to run away!" she was glaring now, and she crossed her arms.

Everyone looked at their feet. Gina shook her head.

"What do we do?" Johnny asked.

"There's something else." Lily said suddenly.

"What?" Gina asked, looking at her.

"I um, I saw a page of her diary on the ground…" Lily handed it to Johnny, who read it silently. His eyes widened and the paper fluttered to the ground. He leaned back against the sofa, his eyes still wide.

"…She was in love with me the whole time…" he said.


	2. Chapter 2

_Carmen's POV_

"And then I realized that he'd never fall in love with me like he likes Esme, so I had already made up my mind by then. It was Lily's insults that made me even more sure." I finished. "But…Esme let me down." I sighed and told them what happened at her mansion.

"Oh Carmen…" Cam put an arm around me.

Tracy did the same. "Listen, Carmen…sometimes people we love don't uncover their true feelings until the right moment. You can't know for sure that Johnny doesn't love you."

"I'm not good enough for him, I've never been good enough for anybody!" I shouted, then I placed my head in my hands. I felt Cam put her arm more protectively around me, and I heard Tracy disappear out of the flat.

"I just…want him to understand." I whispered, and Cam pulled me into a hug. "It's not too much to ask, right?"

"Life can hurt, Carmen, but never give up. Don't let life be the one that beats you. If it hits you, hit it back twice as hard." Cam said.

I nodded and hugged her back. I didn't know Cam as well as I thought, but I knew I could rely on both her and Tracy.

_Tracy's POV_

As I exited the flat I felt so bad for her. I hadn't seen Carmen in almost a year now and this is what had happened in the mean time? I didn't understand much, but I didn't have to.

I took Carmen's bags back up and saw Cam carrying her into Lily's old room, gesturing to me to be quiet. Carmen had fallen asleep. I put the bags in the room and Cam tucked Carmen up and we sneaked out, closing the door behind us.

"You should phone Mike and let him know she's safe." Cam said.

"I hope he's okay, too. Carmen mentioned they think he's dying." I said, biting my lip. I got out my phone and slipped into my room, to make sure Carmen couldn't hear me and wake up.

"Tracy! Hi, how are you?" Mike asked.

I could hear Gina in the background, shushing Mike because the kids had gone to bed.

"Mike, I found Carmen." I told him.

"Oh thank goodness. Is she alright?" Mike asked.

"Uh…I don't think she is…"

"What?!" Mike asked. "What happened?!"

"She's not hurt or anything, but hang on. What about you, are you okay? Carmen said everyone thought you were dying." I asked, worried.

"Oh, it turns out it's just a kidney stone, I'll be fine." Mike said. "So go on, what's wrong with Carmen?"

"The thing is, Mike…all the time we worked at the Dumping Ground there's something none of us ever discussed with the kids. Falling in love." I could tell he had moved away from the kids.

"Ah…yes, I heard about that. Johnny, right?" Mike said.

"Yeah, but that's not all." I said quietly. "She said…when she realized he wouldn't like her the way he liked Esme, that she made her decision there and then. The things Lily said were apparently just making her even more sure. So that must mean that she's liked him for longer than we thought."

"Hmm…I'll get to the bottom of that."

"Well, she's sleeping right now, so can I maybe keep her for the night and tomorrow, I'll figure out something with her?" I offered.

"Good idea. Can you see if you can get her to call us tomorrow? I won't tell the kids, and neither will Gina." Mike said.

"Okay, I'll do my best. Don't breathe a word even if she doesn't call, okay?" I said. "It will be a surprise."

"Alright, bye Tracy." Mike said, and we both hung up.


	3. Chapter 3

_Carmen's POV_

I had just finished eating breakfast when Cam spoke to me.

"Maybe you should call them." She said quietly.

"What if they hate me?" I asked, nodding gratefully when Tracy cleared my bowl away.

"They won't." Cam said.

"They'll be glad you're okay." Tracy said. "I phoned Mike last night, explained you were okay, and he said he was going to make it a surprise, if you call them or if we visit."

"Okay…" I said, nodding. "I'll call them."

Tracy handed over the home phone. I dialed the number I knew so well and put the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" Mike said.

"It's me, Mike." I said.

"Right, okay. Which one?" he asked, and I knew what he meant.

"Umm…Faith." I said. "Tell her to leave the room."

"Okay." He said. "Faith, you've got a private call. You might want to take it outside." Mike told her.

I heard Faith take the phone and walk out of the kitchen, into the living room. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hi Faith, it's me, but don't tell anyone. This is meant to be a surprise, I just need some advice from you before I get Johnny on the phone." I said.

"Right, okay." Faith said. "How are you?" she asked, and I knew that was code for _are you okay? _

"Fine, fine. Just a bit let down, but I'll get over it. How do I tell him I love him?" I asked, getting down from the stool and walking around with the phone.

"Just…say it straight out. You'll be surprised." Faith said.

"Okay…wish me luck." I said.

"Good luck." Faith said. "I'm glad you're fine." She said, and then walked downstairs. "Johnny." She said, and I heard him say 'Yeah?' "For you."

"I thought it was a private call?" I heard Lily ask as Johnny took the phone.

"Hello?" Johnny said.

I felt my throat go dry, but I swallowed and spoke. "Hey stranger."

"Carmen?!" I heard Johnny leap up. "You're okay!"

I heard the other kids start clamoring.

"Johnny." I took a deep breath. "I love you."

"I know." He said.

"What?!"

"Lily gave me your diary page." Johnny explained.

"Oh…" I blushed.

"Me too." Johnny said.

"…." I was speechless.

"I love you too, Carmen." Johnny said, and I grinned.

"Really?" I put a thumb up and showed Tracy and Cam.

"Really." He said. "Are you going to come home?"

"I don't have much choice do I?" I said, then I sighed. "I don't know if I want to, even if you love me." I heard Cam and Tracy high five.

"Why not?" Johnny asked.

"Because everyone else hates me." I said.

"No they don't." Johnny said.

"Yes, Johnny, they really do…and…I can't deal with it. I'm sorry." I said, and I hung up the phone. I ran into the room I slept in, grabbed my bags and ran out of the flat, ignoring Cam and Tracy's calls. I quickly used my mobile to call a taxi as I ran down the stairs. It was only round the corner so when I ran out of the building there it was. I got in, shut the door and told him to head for the airport.


End file.
